1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a performance system of controlling automatic performance by a performance terminal is controlled by a controller, a controller used therefor, and a program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a performance apparatus employing a method of switching local-on/off settings of a performance terminal is known. When the performance terminal is set to a local-on mode, tone data generated through playing operation is produced from a tone generator, and when the performance terminal is set to a local-off mode, generated tone data is not produced and MIDI signals are outputted to an external apparatus instead (for instance, refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-102866). When the local-on mode is set, the performance terminal may be used as an ordinary electronic musical instrument to be played in accordance with a user's playing operations. In addition, when the local-off mode is set, automatic performance may be performed by connecting the performance terminal to a controller that is a control device, and by controlling performance of the performance terminal through the controller. In the latter case, since tones in response to playing operations will not be produced, comfortable listening of automatic performance by the user will not be inhibited by such tone production.
In the above-described conventional art, switching of local-on/off settings is performed by the user by directly operating the performance terminal. Therefore, since the local-on/off settings of the performance terminal must be switched whenever performing or concluding automatic performance, user-operability of the performance terminal is poor.
Additionally, in a case where a plurality of performance terminals are connected to the controller to perform an ensemble, the failure of setting even one performance terminal to local-off mode will inhibit the performance. Thus, all performance terminals must be set to local-off mode. The fact that all performance terminals must be operated to switch their modes to local-off further complicates operations.